A MOTORIST described a fatal collision with an elderly pedestrian as, “an accident”, during questioning by police, a court was told.

Liam David Abbott was interviewed by police following the tragic incident, in Front Street, Sacriston, County Durham, on Wednesday, June 10, last year.

Retired police worker Doreen Campbell suffered multiple injuries when she was hit by the defendant’s Renault Clio as she was crossing the road, at about noon.

The 77-year-old great-grandmother, who lived locally, died in hospital three days later.

Durham Crown Court heard that the Clio emerged from a junction with Crossleas, and turned right into the path of Mrs Campbell, as she crossed near a Tesco store.

Experts for both prosecution and defence agreed the defendant would have had no more than two seconds to be aware of Mrs Campbell as he turned onto Front Street.

They also agreed his view may have been briefly obstructed by his A-pillar, between the car windscreen and driver’s door, and by a line of parked vehicles to his right, as he waited at the ‘give-way’ lines to emerge from Crossleas.

The court heard that he told police he was driving with his wife and children as passengers, on a familiar route, but that there were no distractions at the time.

Having looked both ways to check there were no vehicles approaching, he emerged from the junction, but his wife then shouted there was someone in front.

He then said: “The last thing I can remember, she (Mrs Campbell) was right in front of us and I put my brake on and she fell onto the bonnet.”

He said she then fell to the ground and he got out to check on her condition, making an emergency call on his wife’s mobile phone as he did so.

Asked if he was responsible for the accident, he replied: “I would say it was just an accident.”

The 23-year-old, of Lingey Close, Sacriston, who is of good character, denies causing death by careless driving.

Prosecuting barrister Paul Reid told the jury it was a “momentary lapse of attention” on the defendant’s behalf, but, defence counsel, David Callan, said he had no longer than two seconds to react, and that he would not have had the time to have reached an excessive speed.